Comments on: Helps You Pick a Cinder Out of Your Eye http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/12/06/helps-you-pick-a-cinder-out-of-your-eye/ Yesterday's tomorrow, today. Sat, 30 Aug 2008 08:21:45 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Neil Russell http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/12/06/helps-you-pick-a-cinder-out-of-your-eye/#comment-876725 Neil Russell Fri, 07 Dec 2007 01:16:48 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/12/06/helps-you-pick-a-cinder-out-of-your-eye/#comment-876725 "Do you have a cinder in your eye?" That was a common question until sometime after the war (in fact the phrase "after the war" used to be common too, I wonder if it still is outside websites like this one?) There's even an old song that refers to the situation called "Josephine". In one part of it the lyrics go: "When I say she winks, she tells me she thinks, there's a cinder in her eye..." My folks were both from the Indianapolis area and I've heard many times about how laundry hung outside to dry would sometimes come back in sooty when the wind was right ,the factories were in full swing, and the smoke from everyone's coal burning fireplace or furnace drifted down. The air is definitely cleaner these days, far fewer cinders! “Do you have a cinder in your eye?” That was a common question until sometime after the war (in fact the phrase “after the war” used to be common too, I wonder if it still is outside websites like this one?)
There’s even an old song that refers to the situation called “Josephine”. In one part of it the lyrics go: “When I say she winks, she tells me she thinks, there’s a cinder in her eye…”
My folks were both from the Indianapolis area and I’ve heard many times about how laundry hung outside to dry would sometimes come back in sooty when the wind was right ,the factories were in full swing, and the smoke from everyone’s coal burning fireplace or furnace drifted down.
The air is definitely cleaner these days, far fewer cinders!

]]> By: Marc http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/12/06/helps-you-pick-a-cinder-out-of-your-eye/#comment-875348 Marc Thu, 06 Dec 2007 19:33:42 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/12/06/helps-you-pick-a-cinder-out-of-your-eye/#comment-875348 It’s not very well known but cinders back in the days would aim for the eyes, nowadays they’ll just end up in your thumb. It’s not very well known but cinders back in the days would aim for the eyes, nowadays they’ll just end up in your thumb.

]]> By: Adrian http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/12/06/helps-you-pick-a-cinder-out-of-your-eye/#comment-874517 Adrian Thu, 06 Dec 2007 15:57:32 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/12/06/helps-you-pick-a-cinder-out-of-your-eye/#comment-874517 People still continue today to travel on a steam train with their head out of the window. "The mirror and clamp fit into a small case" I wish I had one of these. Anybody know of a modern version that's available? People still continue today to travel on a steam train with their head out of the window.

“The mirror and clamp fit into a small case” I wish I had one of these.
Anybody know of a modern version that’s available?

]]> By: Bob http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/12/06/helps-you-pick-a-cinder-out-of-your-eye/#comment-874462 Bob Thu, 06 Dec 2007 15:45:33 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/12/06/helps-you-pick-a-cinder-out-of-your-eye/#comment-874462 There would have been a lot of cinder, dust, and other particles in the air then. No pollution control, fast growing economy, date on the article is just before the depression hit, so I would imagine that it would be quite chaotic. The machinist chest of then, and even today, have a small mirror in the inside top of the lid. This was so they could remove slivers and chips from their eye and get back to work. No nurses or doctors at the workplace back then. Even today, I have been working in areas where the nearest doctor is an hour or more away, DIY surgery is not fun, but sometimes necessary. There would have been a lot of cinder, dust, and other particles in the air then. No pollution control, fast growing economy, date on the article is just before the depression hit, so I would imagine that it would be quite chaotic.

The machinist chest of then, and even today, have a small mirror in the inside top of the lid. This was so they could remove slivers and chips from their eye and get back to work. No nurses or doctors at the workplace back then.

Even today, I have been working in areas where the nearest doctor is an hour or more away, DIY surgery is not fun, but sometimes necessary.

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